One moment. That’s all it takes for life as you once knew it to change irrevocably. For Michael Kingston, that moment was when he first laid eyes on Gabriel. In his life, Michael had only known darkness, leaving behind a broken shell of a man. Unspeakable memories of his childhood constantly plagued him, causing him to disconnect emotionally from the world. No one had ever shown him love; therefore, he believed that he was unworthy of it. And then everything changed.

Gabriel Greyson had always been different. Growing up in a small, Bible-thumping town, his preferences for men, makeup, and fashion made him an outcast. But, with the support and love of his family, he overcame obstacles thrown his way and rose above the intolerance. He danced to the beat of his own glammed-out drum and refused to believe that he was anything other than ultra-fabulous. Working as a beautician, he had a job he adored and felt that everything was perfect in his life. Everything except for true love.

When these two men meet, sparks fly. For the first time in Michael’s life, he feels he can overcome the darkness inside him. Gabriel gives him hope and slowly brings him out of the shadows, showing him that even the darkest souls can be redeemed. But there are secrets that Michael keeps locked away. Michael’s fear is that Gabriel will turn away when he discovers the truth. After all, who could ever love a beast?

Jaclyn Osborn was born and raised in the state of Arkansas. When not working her day job, she spends her days writing, reading, and having epic Lord of the Rings movie marathons. All types of genres interest her in the MM world and she hopes to delve into a few of them in her writing career.

When I am reading an excellent book, everything around me disappears and I transport myself into the world I’m reading about. For me, a good book doesn’t have to be a specific genre or point of view. A good book is simply a story that touches me in some way. If it can evoke a strong emotion from me, whether it be sadness, whimsical fantasies, or rage, I consider it a job well done from the author who wrote it.

When did you first start writing and what was the first thing that you wrote that you were proud of?

I’ve been writing since I was eleven. The first thing I wrote that I was proud of was when I was in the 10th grade. I had just read “The Lord of the Flies” by William Golding and fell in love with it. For fun, I decided to write an alternate ending for the book. I showed it to my English teacher and she was in awe, saying that it read like it could have actually been part of the original. That was an amazing compliment.

Please describe your work ethic as an author.

I write every day. On the weekends, I have a part-time job at a movie theater, but throughout the week, I dedicate my days to my true passion, writing. After the coffee is made, I pull out my laptop and get to work. I start writing around 9am and I stop around 5pm.

How do you balance your work as an author with the other aspects of your life?

It’s hard, I’m not going to lie. Even when I’m not writing, I’m writing. If that makes sense. To balance things, I set a writing schedule daily. 9am to 5pm. After that, I allow myself to visit with people, read a book that isn’t mine, watch a movie, go out shopping, etc. But even when I’m doing those things, story ideas and scenarios are still running through my head.

Why did you write this book?

Great question! One of my main characters from this book, Gabriel, had appeared in my head months before I actually started writing the book. Way before I even thought I COULD write a book. I was an active role-player on Facebook for a popular paranormal romance book series, so I was always writing fan-fiction for characters that belonged to someone else. That started bothering me. I wanted my own characters. So, I created Gabriel. A few of my best friends kept saying that I needed to write a book and then it hit me who Gabriel was. When I first started writing “Michael’s Awakening”, I didn’t even think I was going to be able to get it published. But then a wonderful friend of mine intervened and told me about her publisher, and that’s how I was introduced to Encompass Ink.

What experiences from your past do you find yourself drawing upon repeatedly for inspiration in your work?

When I write, I try to write a book that I would like to read. I have always been huge on soulmate stories in the past, so I drew upon that while writing this book. As for actual experiences that help inspire my work, I find myself writing stories that take place in small towns or country settings. I’m from the South so it’s easy to draw inspiration from that.

What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years, both as an author and in your outside life?

As an author, I hope to keep writing and releasing stories. There are so many ideas I have for future projects and I really hope to delve into them. They all are still M/M romance, but the genres are different, ranging from paranormal to historical romance. In my outside life, I hope to be able to write full-time and not have my second job.

Since you are a storyteller, please tell one good lie about yourself.

I will finish all of my current writings in progress before I start working on new ones. *lips twitch*

Gabriel’s lips were like that metaphorical cliff that appeared in our minds when we were faced with a decision that would ultimately alter our lives, a decision that would forever change who we are. I suspected from the beginning that he possessed a power that would tie me to him forever if I were to get too close.

His beauty and grace had first caught my eye, but now his inner fire had scorched my soul. If I were to claim Gabriel’s lips with mine, I would never be the same again.